VALLEY CENTER: Abandoned car found torched in avocado grove

VALLEY CENTER -- Sheriff's arson investigators were called to
the scene of a newer-model truck that was burning in a rural
avocado grove early Wednesday morning, fire engineer Brian
Castellini said.

Firefighters were called at 4:11 a.m. The truck was burning at
Mesa Crest near Mesa Verde, Castellini said. The four-door truck
was engulfed in flames with no one near it after apparently being
abandoned, he said.

Firefighters were able to put out the flames within a few
minutes of arrival, he said, but the truck was destroyed. It's
estimated the truck was worth $15,000, he said.

The truck was towed to a nearby yard, where Sheriff's Bomb/Arson
officials were trying to determine the cause of the fire.
Castellini said the fire was "suspicious."

No injuries were reported and no further details were available,
the engineer said.